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Collection online

tomb-painting

Object type

Museum number

EA37978

Description

Painting from the tomb chapel of Nebamen: the fragmentary top register shows workers standing in front of a gaggle of geese and presenting a basket of eggs to two seated scribes, who record the produce. In the lower register workers come with a flock of geese, and a man presents birds in baskets. A scribe stands reading out the list of produce to a large seated figure of the tomb owner, towards whom both upper registers were oriented (.37979; not displayed). The three vertical registers and one horizontal register of black painted hieroglyphic texts face the same way as the people who speak what is written.

In the lower register the man bending forward and holding a stick speaks to the men squatting in front of him.

Inscriptions

Inscription Type

Inscription Script

Inscription Position

Inscription Translation

You too should take your time, take your time! [. ..] You are conducting the Young Troops [of...]

Inscription Comment

Painted. Above the man with the basket of birds is this sarcastic reply to the goose herder. The man's supposed 'Troops' are the geese.

Inscription Type

inscription

Inscription Script

hieroglyphic

Inscription Position

lower register

Inscription Translation

Sit, and don't talk!

Inscription Comment

Painted. Said by the man bending forward and holding a stick speaks to the men squatting in front of him.

Inscription Type

inscription

Inscription Script

hieroglyphic

Inscription Position

lower register

Inscription Translation

Do not hurry your feet, carrying these geese — until you hear for yourself.You don't know (if there will be) another chance for what you will say!

Inscription Comment

Painted. Said by the man who is herding the gaggle of geese to the man in front of him. This seems to be a sarcastic comment that he should not be too eager, and wait until he is summoned: he must not misuse his opportunity to speak to the master.

Curator's comments

The texts are not quite written in classical Middle Egyptian like the formal texts in the tomb chapel, but they are still very remote from what such workers would actually have spoken.

Acquisition name

Acquisition date

Department

BM/Big number

Registration number

Additional IDs

Painting from the tomb chapel of Nebamen: the fragmentary top register shows workers standing in front of a gaggle of geese and presenting a basket of eggs to two seated scribes, who record the produce. In the lower register workers come with a flock of geese, and a man presents birds in baskets. A scribe stands reading out the list of produce to a large seated figure of the tomb owner, towards whom both upper registers were oriented (.37979; not displayed). The three vertical registers and one horizonta; register of black painted hieroglyphic texts face the same way as the people who speak what is written. In the lower register the man bending forward and holding a stick speaks to the men squatting in front of him.